In Texas, a Senate Race Turns Brutal Before It’s Even Declared NYT | Top Stories By: J. David Goodman 4 September 2025 at 04:34 Attorney General Ken Paxton is waging “legal war” against Beto O’Rourke, a possible Democratic rival, threatening jail and an investigation that could bankrupt his organization. © Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times, Desiree Rios for The New York TimesThe clash between the politicians started last month as an offshoot of President Trump’s push to have Republicans redraw congressional lines in Texas.